


Sweetest Devotion

by zedi



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: BBC Radio 1, Canon Compliant, Freeform, Gentle Kissing, Mentions of Babygate, Radio 1 Breakfast Show, Sign of the times, little sad, single debut, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-04-09
Packaged: 2018-10-16 17:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10576143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zedi/pseuds/zedi
Summary: Louis reacts to Harry's interview on BBC Radio 1 for his debut of Sign of the Times





	

**Author's Note:**

> if you want to listen along for the reference points in the fic, you can listen [here](https://soundcloud.com/affy-ac/sets/bbcr1). it starts on part 5 in that list, right after Harry played Sweetest Devotion by Adele
> 
> I got inspired to write this little ficlet by 1. Harry's song choices in general, 2. because that song came on and all I could think about was Louis calling him a sap, and 3. because I thought about Harry wanting to play JHO and not being able to
> 
> It's short, but it's all I really wanted to write on the subject, really. Unbeata-ed, so all mistakes are mine.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> _

**_harold you are a disgusting sop i cant believe you_ **

The words stare out at him from his mobile screen and it’s embarrassing how wide he smiles.

_ I don’t know what you mean _

**_dont act all innocent , you are not smooth at all . sweetest devotion , really ???_ **

_ it’s a good song! _

He gets the middle finger emoji for his trouble.

Harry honks out a laugh at that, slapping a hand over his mouth. The breakfast show with Grimmy is playing in the background off his laptop, his own voice joking around with his friend about how excited everyone was for the single. He’s seen positive (and mostly capitalized) reactions filling up twitter and tumblr over the song debut and his interview, but he’d be lying if he tried to say he wasn’t the happiest about the texts from Louis.

Who’s sending him more nonsense emojis and seems to have taken up live texting his listen through of the interview.

**_chris is gonna have to fight me if he wants to be head of your fan club_ **

**_should add a catsuit to your collection of weird outfits_ **

**_awe , bless anne . miss her_ **

It’s after Ronnie Wood’s question that Louis really finds his groove though.

**_“he’s nice” ? that all you have to say on that ?_ **

_ what? he is nice _

**_the man let you grind on him on national television harold we all saw it . you shouldnt pretend otherwise_ **

Harry flushes a bit as, in the background, Nick is talking about what a great guy Ronnie is. He’s about to type out an answer when his phone is buzzing with another text in his hand.

**_more with the lying hazza ? how can you live with yourself ?_ **

_ what have i done now? _

He honestly wasn’t paying attention enough to know what Louis is referring and he’s unsure if he sure try to backtrack on the player, since then he’ll be behind if he does. He certainly can’t remember word for word what was going on when he was in the studio.

The only response he gets is more emojis- a taxi, a cellphone, and a chain- and Harry honestly thanks his years of interpreting Louis’ texts to understand that he must be referring to the text chain of jokes Grimmy had offered to add him to (and did, after they were off mic and Nick teased him again about turning down an opportunity for bad puns).

They continue to banter back and forth through the next song selection, Louis weedling out of him a confession of joining the text chain, and teasing him about his pick of playing “Issues”. After the song ends (and Louis’ emoji filled lyric quotes with it), Harry’s still giggling on his couch when he hears himself talking about babies on his laptop.

The smile fades a bit. He hadn’t thought of it at the time, but now the thought of fake babies has him and apparently all of tumblr thinking about…

His phone goes quiet for a bit while Nick reminisces about the impromptu radio show they’d done after the Brits once and he can’t help but think about the pap photos scheduled to come out that day as well. It isn’t until his choice of “Here Comes the Sun” that his phone vibrates with a new message.

**_you really are a hopeless sap_ **

He can picture Louis in his mind’s eye perfectly, frown on his lips but eyes soft with love. Harry thinks of the nights spent calling each other, facetiming while Louis yells until he slumps in defeat and quietly tells Harry that he misses him. Thinks of the times they’ve been able to be together under the radar (well, not the fans radar, not the extreme detectives that make up the majority of their fanbase) and in the same place, soft kisses and tight embraces.

He’s sat alone in his home in London even now, listening to his own voice talk about the influences he grew up hearing and  _ texting _ the love of his life instead of being cuddled up on the couch and listening  _ together _ .

He’s truly sick of it.

_ I wanted to play your single, just once, while I had control of the music you know _

He tugs at his lip with his thumb and forefinger, slumping further in his seat and feeling once again the way he had writing Sign of the Times. As much as he says that everyone is free to interpret what he writes as they want, everything is always about Louis in some way.

**_baby …_ **

_ I know, but I just...I hate it, Lou, you know I do, you deserve better _

**_so do you , love_ **

And Harry knows he does, but the contrast of the mood he’s slipped into and the way his past is laughing and joking about Hobama with Nick through the speakers of his computer twangs sour in his mouth and he has the urge to scream, “I’M HARRY STYLES AND I’VE BEEN IN LOVE WITH LOUIS TOMLINSON SINCE I WAS SIXTEEN!”

But he can’t. Not yet.

He must have been sitting there feeling sorry for himself for a while, because it’s to the tune of his voice prattling on about wearing boots back home for the first time that a knock comes at the door. Followed by the back door opening and closing. Harry clutches his phone to his chest defensively, confused and startled.

It’s Louis. Of course it’s Louis. Rushing in all rumpled and flushed like he might have rushed the last bit of his journey.

“Lou?” Harry’s voice cracks on the syllable, and suddenly Isn’t She Lovely starts playing from his laptop.

“Hazza…” Louis takes wide strides to cross over to him, taking the mobile from his hands and setting it to the side as he scoops Harry into his arms. “I’m here baby”

The younger man tucks his face into Louis’ neck, letting himself be manipulated into sitting sideways in the other man’s lap. “How…?”

“Wanted to surprise you, yeah? Always there when you need me love, today’s your big day.” Louis presses kisses into his hair, and Harry feels like he did seven years ago, tucked in the older boy’s arms in the X Factor house after being told they have to tone down their behavior. Now he’s 23 and still crying for the same reasons, still pressing into Louis and aching down to his bones.

They sit like that as the radio show plays on, and when it ends Louis reaches out to close out of the player. Cupping Harry’s jaw, he lifts his head so they’re eye to eye, green meeting blue. “I love you, so much darling.” The words are whispered, soft and raw in the silent living room.

Harry tilts his head so he can kiss Louis, just as soft and vulnerable. “I love you, too.” He whispers against Louis’ lips. “Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know it's much shorter than my other fics, but like I said, it's what I needed to write. you can reblog the fic [here](http://sugarbabyomega.tumblr.com/post/159366240447/sweetest-devotion-by-zedi-rating-general)


End file.
